Different voltage regulator question

Thought I'd start another thread so it would get fresh eyes, and hopefully a quicker answer....


Guys... In my research so far, I have seen a ton of regulators out there. All looking the same. And all seem to be completely interchangeable.

Meaning... Motorcraft voltage regulators. Made for the 2g-3g alternators, and doesn't even care about 95, or 130...

Am I correct? It certainly looks that way...

Heres the alternator.

That's a 3g alt. Just pull the engineering number off the one you have and put it into Ebay. That's what I did late last year. I'd spend the extra for a motorcraft unit. Should still only be about $30-35.

Just want to point out - regulators from "smaller" 3G alternators kind of work. It looks like the same shape regulator, and the pins all line up, but between the two brush-screws the smaller/lower-output regulator has the aluminum case go straight across, while the bigger regulators have a curve to them, to clear the bearing in the center.

I did experiment with using one of these smaller regulators; I had to grind a curve into the aluminum case so it would fit, but after doing that it *did* fit.

I did have issues with "surging" (where the voltage constantly goes from like 13 to 14.5 volts and back every half-second(just constant movement of the gauge)... but I've also had that problem with the 'correct' regulator.... and I think now my problem was bad wire connections to the alternator.

Going to have the alternator tested tomorrow. But I don't think I'm going to buy anything.

A cheapo regulator at oreileys or autozone... costs more than a motorcraft that I buy online.

If I want to go cheapo, I can buy a whole rebuild kit online, for less than just the cheapo regulator at oreilleys or autozone...

I suspect I am going to order the motorcraft online, and in the meantime, see if I can swap the regulator, w/brushes over from my other truck.